Sky Bradley and Henry Langdon’s Clanbook: Baali for Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition is more than merely a supplement for a bekoved roleplaying game; it’s a ritual invocation. This book resurrects the Baali with fresh mechanics, rich lore, and a tone that balances theological horror with mechanical precision. Where previous editions leaned into shock and edge, this iteration opts for existential unease, presenting the Baali not merely as demon-worshippers but as philosophical saboteurs of reality itself.
I previously reviewed these authors’ Clanbook for the Gangrel, which I loved. I was delighted, then, to take a look at this book, too. Unfortunately, time then got away from me, and this has been sitting for a while. Still, I’m getting to it now, and I’ll follow up before the end of November with their Toreador book, too.
The book opens with a chilling premise: the Baali are architects of entropy. Their history is reframed through the lens of cosmic horror, with references to the Children of the Outer Dark. The writing evokes a sense of slow apocalypse, where Baali cults corrupt via an insipid unravelling of order. The lore is dense but digestible, offering Storytellers ample hooks for campaigns that explore faith, nihilism, and the fragility of the Masquerade.
What stands out is the tone. Bradley and Langdon avoid the trap of gratuitous darkness. Instead, they craft a mood that’s ritualistic, eerie, and philosophical. The Baali are terrifying not because they scream, but because they whisper, and what they whisper makes sense.
Mechanically, the book is a triumph. The Baali’s Clan Bane and Compulsion reflect their role as corrupters of will and reality. The Bane forces players to confront moral compromise. Dark Sacrament, compels players into specific action and ritual, a little like that experienced by Kindred of the Ventrue clan, but with a far darker theme. The given idea of a Baali vampire creating an organ pit, filled with the blood and flesh of sacrifices, is truly horrifying. The weakness to true faith, and the symbols thereof, seems pretty justified in context!
I really like this book’s Discipline suite. These powers offer tools for subtle corruption, infernal influence, and metaphysical sabotage. These aren’t so much flashy effects as they are thematic instruments. I like the inclusion of Protean and Oblivion in particular. Powers like Rapacious Communion and Hell Warden feel like spells cast by cultists who’ve stared too long into the abyss. Oh, and Body Arsenal is just delightfully obscene. Like, it’s proper gross.
The book also introduces new rituals. It would need to, given the theme, and they are just dripping with flavour. These rituals are narrative devices, perfect for anchoring scenes of dark rites and forbidden knowledge. Some, like Curse of the Walking Body, are straightforward and almost innocuous by Baali standards. Others, like Baal’s Pithos, or the Oblivion Ceremony, The Bell of Gomorrah, are horrifying.
For Storytellers, Clanbook: Baali is a sandbox of dread. It offers archetypes, cult structures, and narrative seeds that can infect any chronicle. Whether you’re running a political thriller in Chicago or a descent-into-madness tale in Berlin, the Baali can be the whisper behind the curtain.
Importantly, the book respects player agency. It doesn’t force horror, but it certainly invites it. The Baali are monsters, sure, but they’re also mirrors. Playing one means asking: “What would I sacrifice for power? What truths would I deny to preserve my soul?”
I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface, not mentioning the loresheets, predator types, the quality of the production, or so many other factors. Oh, and the Bloodlines! The Knights of Teeth might be my favourite Bloodline, ever! I’ve focused instead on what I’ve loved on this book; the horror. It’s a truly masterful update that makes the Baali playable, terrifying, and narratively rich. For fans of theological horror, cosmic dread, and morally complex storytelling, this Clanbook is essential reading.
You can click here to visit the catalogue page on DriveThruRPG.
No Rerolls 
2 Comments